Land Rover Key Fob Battery Replacement: CR2032 for Range Rover, Discovery, Defender and Evoque
Every Land Rover and Range Rover key takes one CR2032 battery: the 2005 to 2012 remote keys on the LR3, Freelander 2 and first Range Rover Sport, the 2010 to 2019 smart keys on the LR4, Evoque, Discovery Sport, Range Rover and Sport, and the current keys on the Defender, Discovery, Velar and new Range Rover. To open a smart key, slide the release and pull out the emergency blade, then slide or lever the back cover off from that end. Fit the new cell the same way round as the old one. No reprogramming is needed, and the Smart key battery low message clears on its own.
Land Rover keys are built by the same supplier as Jaguar’s, which means one battery size across the whole range and a cover that opens from the emergency blade end rather than the seam. The part owners struggle with is not the swap but what to do when the key has already died, because the backup start position is different on almost every model. This guide covers the battery, the opening, the backup position for each generation, and what to check if the car still does not see the key afterwards.
Which battery your Land Rover key fob takes
Find your key in the table. The FCC ID printed on the back of the fob tells you which family it belongs to, but for Land Rover the answer in the last column is the same every time.
| Key style | Typical FCC ID | Common on | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remote head key or remote with blade, turn-key ignition | NT8-15TX, KOBUTA3T, CWTWB1U322 | Discovery 2 1999 to 2004, Freelander 2002 to 2005, Range Rover 2003 to 2009 (L322), LR3 2005 to 2009, Range Rover Sport 2006 to 2009 | CR2032 |
| Smart key, 2010 to 2019 style (rounded, chrome band) | KOBJTF10A, KOBJTF10A-G | LR4 2010 to 2016, Range Rover 2010 to 2021, Range Rover Sport 2010 to 2021, Evoque 2012 to 2019, Discovery Sport 2015 to 2019, Discovery 2017 to 2020, Velar 2018 to 2020 | CR2032 |
| Smart key, current style (squared, glossy back) | KOBJXF18A, KR5ANLR2 | Evoque 2020 on, Discovery Sport 2020 on, Defender 2020 on, Discovery 2021 on, Velar 2021 on, Range Rover 2022 on, Range Rover Sport 2023 on | CR2032 |
If you open the key and find a CR2025 in it, someone fitted the wrong cell last time. The holder is designed for the 3.2 mm thick CR2032 and a thinner cell sits loose and makes poor contact. If the code on the old cell is unreadable, the owner’s manual lists the type in the section on the smart key, and the InControl app or instrument panel will tell you when the key battery is low.
The code tells you the size: the first two digits are the diameter in millimetres and the last two are the thickness in tenths of a millimetre, so a CR2032 is 20 mm wide and 3.2 mm thick while a CR2025 is the same width but thinner. A thinner cell in the same holder makes poor contact and causes the random dropouts people blame on the car. Our key fob battery size chart lists every size by brand.
What you need
- One new CR2032 from a name brand (Panasonic, Energizer, Duracell, Murata, Varta or Land Rover branded all work)
- A plastic pry tool or a small flat-blade screwdriver with the tip wrapped in tape
- A clean table and good light, so a dropped battery does not vanish and the chrome or glossy back of the key does not get scratched
Avoid rechargeable cells such as LIR2032. They have the right shape but a higher voltage, and they are not what the key is designed for. A branded 3 V lithium cell with a date well into the future is all you need.
Changing the battery in a Land Rover smart key
This covers every push-button Land Rover and Range Rover from 2010 onwards. The two generations differ in how the cover comes off, which is covered in step 2.
Slide the small catch on the side or back of the key and pull the metal key blade straight out. You will use its tip in the next step.
On the 2020 and newer keys, slide the back cover towards the blade end; it unclips and lifts off. If it is stiff, put the tip of the blade into the slot the blade came from and lever gently. On the 2010 to 2019 rounded key, the blade slot has a small notch between the halves: push the tip of the blade or a taped screwdriver in and twist, and the back cover pops off. Do not pry around the outside seam or under the chrome band.
Before you touch the battery, look at which side shows. On Land Rover keys the + side with the code printed on it normally faces up, towards the back cover, but take a photo so there is no guessing later.
Use a plastic tool or the tip of the blade at the small cut-out beside the battery to lever it up, and lift it out by the edge. Do not slide a metal tool across the circuit board.
Hold the new cell by its edges and press it into the holder the same way round as the old one. It should sit flat and click under the retaining tab. A battery that rocks or stands proud is the wrong size.
Line the cover up and press or slide it on until it clicks all round, slide the emergency blade home until it clicks, and press lock and unlock. The indicators should flash and the small LED on the key should blink with each press.
If the rubber button pad lifted with the cover, lay it back in the body first, buttons facing out, and check it is sitting in its groove before you close the case. A pinched pad is why buttons feel mushy after a battery change, and why the tailgate button sometimes stops working.
Changing the battery in an older Land Rover remote key
This is the 1999 to 2009 key with buttons on the head of a fixed or folding blade, used on the Discovery 2, Freelander, L322 Range Rover, LR3 and the first Range Rover Sport. It takes a CR2032.
- Find the notch on the seam of the key head, usually on the edge opposite the blade, or on the folding keys beside the hinge. Put a coin or a taped flat screwdriver in it and twist. Work the two halves apart slowly; the plastic on these keys is old and brittle.
- Note which way the battery faces, then lever it out from the cut-out at its edge.
- Press in the new CR2032 the same way round and check the rubber button pad is seated.
- Snap the halves together until the seam is flush all the way round and test the buttons. If the remote has lost its pairing after weeks without power, turn the key in the ignition to position II and press a button; the car re-synchronises it.
The transponder chip that lets the car start is sealed in the key head and does not use the battery. So even with a completely dead remote the key still turns the ignition and starts the engine; you just have to unlock the door with the blade.
3V lithium CR2032 coin cell
Every Land Rover key takes a CR2032. Buy a name brand in a small multi-pack and keep the spares in the glove box, not loose in the key.
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Do you need to reprogram a Land Rover key after a battery change?
No. The pairing between the key and the car is stored in memory that does not depend on the battery, so a Land Rover key keeps working as soon as a fresh cell goes in. If the instrument panel showed Smart key battery low, it clears after the next start or two. Land Rover does suggest pressing any button on the key once after a battery change so the key and car re-synchronise before you walk up to the door, and that is all it needs.
If the car still does not see the key
First, get moving. If the panel says Smart key not found, there is a backup reading position, and it is different across the range. On the LR4, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Evoque, Velar and Defender, hold the key against the underside of the steering column, on the right-hand side, where a small moulded mark (three lines) shows the spot; buttons facing down. On the 2013 to 2021 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport, hold the key in the same place under the column, or lay it in the cup holder if the manual for your year shows that instead. On the 2022 and newer Range Rover and 2023 and newer Range Rover Sport, the position moved to the centre console beside the cup holders. In every case, keep the key there, press the brake and press Start. The emergency blade opens the driver’s door; on the newer cars the lock cylinder is under a cover on the handle that pops off with the blade tip.
Then work through the usual causes, in order of how often they turn out to be the problem:
- Wrong size. A CR2025 or CR2016 in a CR2032 holder makes patchy contact and the key works one day and not the next. Compare the code on the new cell with the old one.
- Upside down. If the key does nothing at all and the LED does not flash, open it and turn the battery over.
- Bent or dirty contact. The spring contact can be flattened by prying. Lift it gently with a plastic tool and clean it with a dry cotton bud. See how to clean key fob battery contacts.
- Tired new battery. Cells that sat in a drawer or came from an unbranded multi-pack can be flat out of the packet. Try a second one from a fresh pack.
- The car’s 12 V battery. Land Rovers draw a lot of current when parked, and a weak battery is a far more common cause of a no-start than the key. See can a bad car battery cause key fob problems.
- Damage inside the key. A key that has been dropped hard, through a wash, or left on a hot dashboard can have a cracked solder joint or corroded board. A locksmith can test whether it still transmits.
If the buttons work but the car does not respond, the full checklist is in key fob not working after a battery replacement.
What it costs
A Land Rover dealer will fit a battery while you wait, and many do it free for a car they service. The larger figures only apply if the key itself has to be replaced. Land Rover smart keys are ordered against the VIN and programmed with dealer tools, which is why they cost what they do; a five-minute battery change is the cheap way to keep that from ever being necessary.
How long the new battery will last
A remote head key only transmits when you press a button, so a CR2032 in one typically lasts three years or more. A smart key listens for the car and answers whenever you touch a door handle, so expect one to two years, and less on a car with keyless entry that is parked within a few metres of where the key lives. Cold weather and carrying the key loose with things that press the buttons both shorten that. More detail is in how long key fob batteries last.
Safety: keep coin batteries away from children and pets
A swallowed coin cell can cause serious internal burns within hours. Keep spares and the old cell out of reach, and dispose of old batteries at a drop-off point rather than in household waste. If you think a child has swallowed a battery, go to the emergency room straight away and call the National Battery Ingestion Hotline at 1-800-498-8666, or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every Land Rover and Range Rover key takes a single CR2032 3 V lithium coin cell, from the old Discovery and L322 Range Rover remote keys to the current Defender, Discovery, Evoque, Velar and Range Rover smart keys. Confirm with the code on the old battery.
Slide the catch and pull out the emergency blade. On 2020 and newer keys, slide the back cover towards the blade end and lift it off. On the 2010 to 2019 rounded key, push the tip of the blade into the notch inside the blade slot and twist. Do not pry at the outside seam.
No. Land Rover keys keep their pairing without battery power. Press any button once after the change and the key works as normal; the Smart key battery low message clears after the next start or two.
On most models (LR4, Discovery, Discovery Sport, Evoque, Velar, Defender, 2013 to 2021 Range Rover and Sport) hold it against the underside of the steering column on the right, where three moulded lines mark the spot. On the 2022 and newer Range Rover and 2023 and newer Range Rover Sport the spot is in the centre console beside the cup holders. Hold the key there, press the brake and press Start.
It will fit the holder and may work for a while, but it is thinner than the CR2032 the holder is designed for, so the contact is poor and the key becomes unreliable. Use a CR2032.
The car usually needs a start cycle or a short drive to update. If it stays on, check that the new cell is a CR2032 from a fresh pack, the right way up, and that the spring contact in the key is not flattened.